Ethiopia’s capital to ban motorbikes

The authorities in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, are banning motorbikes from the city’s streets as part of an effort to reduce crime.

The administration believes that a rising number of thefts are being committed by people on motorbikes.

Addis Ababa Deputy Mayor Takele Uma said motorbike owners have just over a fortnight to find alternative transport before the ban comes into effect on 7 July.

In recent years, motorbikes have become increasingly popular in the city as a means to avoid traffic jams, but there they are not as commonly seen as in many other African cities such as Nairobi, the BBC’s Kalkidan Yibeltal says.